Better
by jayer
Summary: Danny finds a message from his brother. post run silent


"You don't have to do this." Danny pulled the keys out of his pocket.

"What kind of friend do you think I am?"

"A good friend, Montana." Danny smiled. "I just meant, that since you haven't had a day off in two weeks, you might have things you needed to do. I CAN do this myself, you know."

"I know. But my stuff can wait." Lindsay set the bag of supplies on the counter. "I just wish there had been more --"

"You did enough." Danny propped open a window to air out the place. "I mean you brought me those lab results. Gave me a chance to go to Mac first. And you came to the hospital to sit with me. And now you're spending your first real day off helping me pack up Louie's stuff. That's a lot to do for someone. And I appreciate it."

"Well, you did promise me the best pizza in New York City."

"And you'll get it." Danny laughed. "I'm telling you, Montana. I know Manhattan is supposed to be THE place to live, but there ain't nothing like the food in Brooklyn. Especially the pizza."

"I can't wait."

They started in the bedroom, sorting through clothes. They trashed the underwear, worn out shoes and greasy coveralls. The rest they boxed up to take over to the local homeless shelter along with the non perishable food from Louie's makeshift pantry. When they finished that, Lindsay hit the kitchen, packing up dishes and pans to be picked up by the local Goodwill when they came for Louie's meager but servicable furniture. Danny wandered into the living room. He found some old photos he set aside to take home. He paused in front of an board and block bookshelf in the corner. There were a few old VHS tapes, mostly classics like Star Wars and Indiana Jones. Danny laughed to himself, remembering Saturdays of playing Jedi with baseball bats as light sabers.

There was also a stack of paperbacks, mostly new ones. Danny remembered the night, back in the fall, when he and Louie had had a beer together. He hadn't planned to go, figuring Louie wanted a favor like money. Danny had been right about that. Louie did want money. But not for what Danny had expected. Louie, like the other Tanglewood Boys, had dropped out of high school, figuring he was too tough to need a diploma. He had a chance to become an assistant manager at the shop, instead of just being a grease monkey, but he had to get his GED. He'd come up with the money for classes, but he was a little short on money for the books he was supposed to read.

Danny picked up the top book. A Tale of Two Cities. From the look of the outside, Louie had read it more than once. A piece of paper was sticking out of the middle of the book, his name scrawled across the top.

"Dear Danny."

"If you're reading this, then I'm gone. I"m sorry about that, little brother. I just hope that I got what I needed to get you out of this mess.

"I know I should have told your boss what happened. But then he would have pulled Sonny in. Sonny was no genius like you, but he was smart enough to know to keep his mouth shut. He would have walked and come looking for me. My way, he might have said something you could use.

"I know I hurt you back then and it still hurts my heart to think about it. I wanted to try to make it up to you so many times. I wanted to call or come see you. But I figured you were better off if I just left you alone. You didn't need your loser brother dragging you down, keeping you in that place.

"And I'm glad that you hurt your arm. I know that's a horrible thing to say cause you wanted to be a ball player. And you were good. I came to every game I could to watch you. But you are a great cop. It made me proud every time I saw something about you in the paper. I'm sorry I never told you that before.

"Don't waste a lot of time being sad about me. I knew what I was doing, what could happen. I wanted to do it. I needed to do it. I should have done it years ago. I'm ashamed of myself for not stopping it. For not telling the truth all this time. But I told the truth now and maybe you won't hate me anymore."

"Hey Danny." Lindsay called out from the kitchen. "You done? Cause I'm starving."

Lindsay walked over to the window. "Danny, are you okay?"

Danny nodded. He reached for the stack of books, knocking them on the floor. A grin came over his face as he saw the open page.

"What is it?" Lindsay gave him a curious look.

"It is a far, far better thing that I do," Danny read the words Louie had circled on the page, "than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known."

Danny tucked the book and the letter in his bag. "Yeah, Louie, it is."


End file.
